


Feathered Surprise

by Life_From_The_Ashes



Series: Tumblr Soulmate AU Prompts [3]
Category: The Road to El Dorado (2000)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Fluff, Hints of some darker themes, If You Squint - Freeform, M/M, Wingfic, and know some specific facts about ducks, nothing overt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-27
Updated: 2020-05-27
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:20:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,303
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24398668
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Life_From_The_Ashes/pseuds/Life_From_The_Ashes
Summary: When two soulmates touch for the first time each will sprout a pair of wings that represent their personality. In rich societies they have yearly events where parents bring their kids in the hopes that they will meet their soulmate. There are public events as well that parents can bring their kids to for a slight fee. Those who aren’t able to pay for entrance to these festivals had to rely on chance.What are the odds that two boys left on their own would run into each other?
Relationships: Miguel/Tulio (Road to El Dorado)
Series: Tumblr Soulmate AU Prompts [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1630243
Comments: 8
Kudos: 219





	Feathered Surprise

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Madison02](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madison02/gifts).



> This is a gift to the wonderful Madison02 who requested E7 on my tumblr soulmate au prompt list.

Every human has a soulmate, though not everyone meets their soulmate in their lifetime. Throughout history when two soulmates touch for the first time each will sprout a pair of wings that represent their personality. A person who is kind and soft hearted may find themselves with the small white wings of a dove. A person who is know for cruelty and cunning may have oversized black wings of a vulture. No one can say for sure what kind of wings they will have before they meet their soulmate and touch for the first time. While most people will have the wings of native birds to their homeland, some will have wings that match nothing in the records. It is considered a warning that those with unknown wings will leave their homeland. In some cases, they are treated as outcasts; how can you welcome someone when you don’t know what their wings mean?

In rich societies they have yearly events where parents bring their kids in the hopes that they will meet their soulmate. There are public events as well that parents can bring their kids to for a slight fee. Those who aren’t able to pay for entrance to these festivals had to rely on chance to meet their soulmate.

When Tulio was twelve years old his mother got sick and one day simply never woke up. She was an only child and his grandparents hadn’t spoken to her in years. His father had never been around and with no one willing to take him in he was shipped off to a local orphanage. The change was a shock to Tulio’s system. He barely had time to mourn his mother’s death and he was taken by strangers, who had been notified by his neighbors that he was now alone. He was put in a cramped building with thirty other kids ran by ten adults. The food was terrible, half the staff didn’t care about what happened, and kids grew more and more restless. The only thing keeping everything together was the fact that the owner Mr. Bellini cared about the kids and did his best to keep them healthy and happy.

As Tulio didn’t get along with most of the other kids he took to wandering around the orphanage when he could. With only a couple of people watching thirty kids it was easy to slip away unnoticed and as long as he didn’t get into trouble no one cared. One time, during his wandering, he heard the hushed voices of Mr. Bellini and Emilia who was one of the workers. Quietly he walked towards the slightly opened door to Mr. Bellini’s office and listened in.

“…be worth it to try and save up for a couple years to bring the kids to the festival?” Emilia was saying, “I know we don’t have enough to do it this year or next, but maybe it would lift their spirits if even one of them found their soulmate.” Mr. Bellini scoffed as she spoke.

“Look Sweetheart, I know you’re young, but you need to understand this.” He paused, “We will never bring any of these kids to the festival. End of story.”

“But why?” She sounded frustrated, “I know money’s tight, but we can put some away. Even if we only take some of them each year it would still be a nice experience. Maybe it will even help motivate them to behave if they knew there was a chance.”

Mr. Bellini barked back, “No parent wants to know that their child is soulmates with a nobody. They’d rather their kid never finds their soulmate.”

“They deserve soulmates too.” Emilia choked out; voice tight.

“Even if I wanted to; even if we had the money, we would never get approval.” He sighed.

It was quiet for a moment before Tulio heard a very soft “It’s not fair.” From Emilia.

“Most things in life aren’t fair.” Mr. Bellini said softly. “Look. Before I ran this place I was a lot like you. Bright. Optimistic. But that’s not how the world works. I was there when the old owner saved up a brought the kids to the festival. We only had about ten kids at the time, so it was easier. We got them dressed up and marched them down to the square, you wouldn’t believe how happy they all were.”

He grew silent for a moment, “What happened?”

Letting out a heavy breath he continued, “When we got to the gates they refused our entry. In front of those kids the guards explained to us that it was decided by the parents that they didn’t want such lowlifes at the festival. I will never forget the look on their faces and I never want to see it again. It’s kinder to tell them we can’t afford to go, than to give them false hope that they’re going to get their happily ever after.”

Tulio left the doorway, no longer interested in listening to their conversation. He angrily scrubbed at his eyes as he stomped towards his shared room. He went to the farthest corner and curled un on himself, pulling out a single soft gray feather from under his shirt. It was tied around his neck by a thick purple ribbon that his mother had once used to tie her hair back, the feather was from her wings.

He had never known his mother without her wings. They had been a deep gray that faded into white from the outside in with a light bit or red-ish brown at the base. He knew his father had been her soulmate, and that he had left them. That was the reason his grandparents had ignored them, it was considered a great shame to raise a child on your own, especially for a woman. One time, while looking through some old books, he found a long white feather that faded into a deep brown at the end. The feather was bent and slightly torn. When Tulio brought it to his mother she snatched it from his hands and tossed it outside. Later he heard her crying and never brought it up again.

Softly he ran a hand over the gray feather. It reminded him of her hugs, wings wrapped around him as though to protect him from the world. Of how she’s let him play with the feathers as she comforted him while he was sick. Of how no matter how tired she was when she got home in the morning, she would always smile down at him, wings fluttering behind her in happiness. In this moment he let himself mourn, let the tears fall. They hadn’t given him time to take anything out of the house when they came. All he had was a ribbon and a feather, not even a picture to remember her by.

He desperately clung to his memories of her. He thought of her voice as she sung to him. The way her eyes crinkled when she smiled at him. Her blue eyes lighting with joy as she laughed. Long dark hair tied up with a long ribbon to keep it out of her face. Taking a deep breath he stored all those memories safely in his mind. When he opened his eyes he wiped away the rest of his tears. He needed to get back to the group before he was missed and got in trouble. He tucked the feather back under his shirt and headed back outside where the other kids were playing. Internally cursing the idea that he was now less just because his mother was gone before he became an adult; that he didn’t deserve a soulmate. What did it matter, his mom was proof that not all soulmates live happily together.

It was only a few months after he arrived the Mr. Bellini left the facility. The woman who took over the kids only knew as Madam, and with her in charge everything seemed to be worse. There was less food, stricter regulations, and harsher punishments. Tulio left, deciding that he wasn’t going to suffer in this hell.

He’d be fine on his own.

**

The shouting behind Tulio spurred him to move faster as he navigated through the streets. He ducked under a pair of large black wings and sidestepped into an alley. A woman with fluffy while wings specked with shades of brown was walking towards him. He politely let her pass and casually continued walking. The shouting grew quieter as he got further away.

Tulio chuckled slightly as he ran a hand through his bangs, the other hand clutching the spiced bread he had swiped. As he passed a window he caught a look at his reflection. At sixteen he had grown taller and lankier. His face was more pointed than his childhood and he had his long hair tied back at the nape of his neck with a purple ribbon. He wore a loose blue shirt and his mother’s feather tied around his neck with a black leather cord.

He continued his path winding through sideroads before stopping at an alcove filled with boxes. Tulio sat on a box near the entrance and tore off a chunk of bread, popping it in his mouth, relishing in the fresh flavours. Before he finished chewing, he heard rustling and a blond head appeared from behind a few boxes.

“Oh!” the blond shouted, emerging from the boxes revealing a boy around Tulio’s age with a bright grin on his face. His green eyes peered out from long bangs, “Hi! I’m Miguel! Say would you mind sharing some of that bread? It’s just I haven’t had fresh bread in a long time and that smells absolutely wonderful. Do you think you could spare some? I would really appreciate it.”

Tulio stared wide eyed at the blond boy, Miguel, tying to follow the rushed stream of words coming out of the other boy’s mouth. The blond had dark bags under his eyes and though his smile was bright, his eyes were sharp and kept darting between Tulio and the bread in his hands hungrily. Tulio had seen that look before and it was never good.

Slowly, as though he was trying not to startle an animal, Tulio stood, “I’m sorry.” He spoke solely and softly, “But I haven’t eaten in a while and I’m going to eat all of this bread.” He took a half step back, grin on his face, “You understand right?”

Miguel’s face dimmed slightly and Tulio held back a flinch before Miguel pouted. Green eyes turned to stare directly at Tulio and he felt rooted to the spot. He felt his face flush and swallowed thickly as Miguel spoke again, sounding disappointed. “I understand. I’ll let you eat in peace.” He started to turn away.

“Wait.” The words were out of Tulio’s mouth before he fully registered them. He couldn’t let the other boy leave, how was anyone supposed to say no to that face? “How about we make a deal?” Tulio tried to take control of the situation.

“A deal?” Miguel turns back, eyes lit up with hope. Tulio swallows again, finding his mouth suddenly dry.  
“What kind of deal?”

Tulio’s brain stutters for a moment before he’s able to speak. “I’ll give you some of my bread now and then you’ll help me get more food.” As he’s speaking he rips the bread into two parts.

“Yes!” Miguel smiles brightly and Tulio can’t help mirroring him, “I can do that! We’ll be partners! Miguel and…” He pauses, “What’s your name?”

“Tulio.” Speaking softly Tulio finds himself caught in that grin. Without thinking he reaches out the hand with the larger half of bread to give to Miguel.

“Tulio and Miguel!” Miguel crows as he reaches to take the offered bread. For just a split second their fingers touch and then each gasp at the rush of pain before feathers fill their vision. The bread falls to the ground forgotten as the boys are distracted by their new appendages.

Wings sprout from Tulio’s back. The majority of the wings are in shades of blue but are barred with black and accented with white closer to the tips. Tulio finds himself in awe of the vibrant colour, turning his wings to get a better look. A flash of red distracts him and he looks over.

Miguel’s wings are bright. They start red at the base fading into orange, green, and finally a deep blue at the tips. Tulio watches as Miguel looks at his wings in amazement and finds himself resting a hand over the gray feather around his neck, smiling fondly at the sight before him.

When Miguel turns to look at Tulio his eyes widen, and he steps closer into Tulio’s space. Tulio flushes again and feels his wings puff out slightly behind him. “Wow.” Miguel whispers; mouth close to Tulio’s ear, which causes him to shudder. Miguel sounds breathless and is looking at Tulio’s wings almost reverently. Tulio thinks for a moment he must be in heaven because Miguel is pressed up against him and is running a hand through Tulio’s wings and he can’t think of a better feeling. His mouth is dry and his throat feels closed off. All he can do is hum in response, one hand reaching out to feel the red feathers in front of him.

Tulio realizes he can’t be in heaven when he dies from embarrassment at the soft whimper that escapes him as Miguel pulls away. He closes his eyes and is pretty sure his face is now permanently flushed. A hand caresses his cheek and he opens his eyes and finds himself looking at Miguel’s blushing face.

“Miguel and Tulio.” Tulio smiles, nuzzling the hand on his cheek, “I like the sound of that.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope you enjoyed!
> 
> I'm always accepting prompt requests. You can message me on tumblr @life-from-the-ashes or in the comments. I do have a list of prompts under the description of this series, but if you have other requests don't be afraid to ask!
> 
> If your're interested here are a list of the different birds used:
> 
> Tulio's Mom: Grey-Headed Chickadee - Trusting, friendly, cute.
> 
> Tulio's Father: Mallard Duck - Violent, forceful.
> 
> Tuilo: Blue Jay - Intelligent, protective, monogamous. 
> 
> Miguel: Scarlet Macaw - Bright, loud, monogamous.


End file.
